6 Best Places to Visit in Sichuan

Sichuan is one of China’s most beautiful provinces, and it has something for everyone. From beautiful mountains, delicious cuisine, and unique cultures, Sichuan has it all. Here are some of the best places to visit in Sichuan to help plan your trip.

 

1. Jiuzhaigou

Jiuzhaigou is a beautiful national park located in Northern Sichuan. In the park, you’ll find majestic waterfalls and colorful alpine lakes surrounded by massive mountains. In autumn, Jiuzhaigou looks especially beautiful when all of the trees turn to golden colors.

Jiuzhaigou is a 10-hour bus ride away from Chengdu, so you should plan to spend at least a few days in the park to make the most of it. There are plenty of hiking trails to keep you busy.

 

2. Chengdu

No trip to Sichuan would be complete without a visit to the province’s capital city of Chengdu.

Chengdu has a very unique atmosphere when compared with other large cities in China. Its people are very laid back, and the city has a unique art and cafe scene.

Chengdu is also the perfect place to relax after spending some time in the national parks of Sichuan.

When you’re in Chengdu, be sure to pay a visit to the Giant Panda Base and try some delicious Sichuan-style hotpot! Sichuan is famous for its spicy cuisine, and Chengdu is the perfect place to sample it.

 

3. Yading Nature Reserve

The Yading Nature Reserve is one of the most beautiful places in all of China. Inside the park are three snow-capped holy mountains. Pilgrims from all over Tibet travel a long way to visit the holy mountains of Yading.

No visit to the Yading Nature Reserve would be complete without hiking the famous Mt. Chenrenzig Kora. The hike can be done in a single day if you’re an experienced hiker, or two days if you like to go at a more relaxed pace.

In the past, a two-day long bus ride through the mountains of Western Sichuan was required to access Yading. Luckily, an airport has recently opened in the nearby town of Daocheng, making it easier than ever to access Yading.

 

4. Litang

Located deep in the mountains of Western Sichuan, Litang is somewhat of a “Tibetan wild-west”. In Litang, the locals can be seen wearing cowboy hats and the town has a unique atmosphere.

Litang is a great place to visit if you’re interested in Tibetan culture and nature. However, it is quite far away from most other attractions in Sichuan, so consider combining it with a trip to the nearby Yading Nature Reserve that was mentioned earlier.

Litang was one of my personal favourite places that I visited when I was travelling in China because of its interesting culture and remoteness.

 

5. Leshan

Leshan is home to the Leshan Giant Buddha, a massive 71-metre tall stone statue that will leave you in awe. The statue is the largest and tallest stone Buddha in the world.

Leshan is only 1-hour away from Chengdu via high speed rail, so it’s easy to visit it as a day trip.

Consider combining a trip to Leshan with a visit to nearby Mount Emei if you have enough time!

 

6. Huanglong

Huanglong is another one of Sichuan’s gorgeous scenic areas. It’s located fairly close to Jiuzhaigou, so it’s recommended to visit both of them on the same trip.

Huanglong is full of colorful turquoise pools that were formed by calcite deposits. It is also surrounded by a beautiful forest that has a number of trails running through it.

It’s easy to spend an entire day wandering around the pathways in the Huanglong scenic area and still not see it all.


Post time: Jun-01-2020